When I first walked into the classroom, the people seemed like any other wilderness medicine students – paying rapt attention to the words of the instructors as they prepared to move from a lecture to practicing skills in a scenario. Yet the questions that pepper the instructors are clearly those of people with significant medical training as they dive further into the physiology behind common medical issues seen in the wilderness and ask questions about how medical procedures used in a medical setting can be improvised in the field. Welcome to the Wilderness Medicine Elective, where fourth year medical students are spending four weeks learning how to put their medical training into practice when definitive care is over one hour away. As one of the expedition leaders for the five-day wilderness expedition component of the elective, I joined the group in the third week of their four week class, primarily working with the students to teach them how to prepare for an expedition and assisting them in packing their personal gear, their group’s food, planning their travel schedule, and learning how to canoe. It was clear that the group had bonded even more than the shared experience that medical school provides. I was interested to see how they would transfer their level of trust and support built in an intense professional environment to one that required them to mix personal and professional in the casually intense environment provided by the rivers of the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. One of the best transformations I saw take place during the expedition was watching the group transition from being solely patient focused to wisely using resources that promoted both patient care and group well-being. Acknowledging that, if not taken care of, group members, including those providing medical care, can quickly become additional patients, the medical elective students learned and practiced the necessary skills to be comfortable for extended periods in a wilderness environment. The skills included meeting personal needs such as applying sunscreen, drinking water and making sure that personal systems were maintained. Learning to manage self-care and oversee the critical personal needs of others during medical incidents proved to have a steep learning curve, but one where learnings were quickly applied. After developing and practicing their field systems for five days, their learning culminated in the field care and lengthy canoe evacuation of a “patient” with a head injury. The sense of calm, confidence and competence they portrayed throughout the five hour process was that of experienced expedition doctors. Watching their response to the scenario, listening to their ideas and communication of plans, as well as their professional and compassionate treatment of their “patient” solidified my confidence in their ability to respond to emergencies large and small in the wilderness. The wilderness medicine elective is designed to meet the needs of medical professionals who are interested in practicing medicine in remote environments, who wish to be expedition medical staff or to serve as medical directors for wilderness organizations. What that description fails to capture is the involved nature of improvisation, group care, personal care and environment management, all challenges that the students who participated in the LWM Wilderness Medicine Elective can attest to. At this point, the medical elective participants have officially completed medical school, have walked across the stage, received their diplomas and are headed towards their residency placements. We wish them the best of luck in their upcoming adventures.

In order to safely spend time in remote locations, it is necessary for preparations to include appropriate medical training and the creation of a first aid kit with supplies to assist in the case of an emergency. It is important to know how to design a kit that meets the needs of each individual or group and to understand that there is not one perfect kit for all travel. In order to create a first aid kit that meets the needs of each trip you take, LWM encourages you to consider the following:The Non-NegotiablesThe practice of wilderness medicine teaches improvisation, but there are a few items that are hard to improvise effectively. Emergency response can place you in a situation where you come in contact with body substances such as blood, vomit, feces and urine. Body substance isolation (BSI) is the practice of protecting your exposure from these substances to limit the risk of disease transmission. Non-latex gloves and a CPR mask should be considered mandatory items for even the smallest first aid kit.

First aid kits are not “buy it and forget it” purchases. Items get used, wet, hot, cold, expire, and dirty due to all of the places that you take your kit. Ensure that you have the appropriate items available when you need them by periodically inventorying your first aid kit and restocking items that are used, worn out, or expired.

Acquiring a kitThe simplest way to get your first medical kit is to purchase a commercially made kit from an outdoor retailer. Commercially designed kits use names or numbers to indicated the kit’s intended use. Purchasing a pre-made commercial kit allows the purchaser to get most of the necessary items along with a carrying case without having to purchase full boxes of many of the items for the kit. As you look at which kit to purchase and maintain, ask yourself the following questions:

Who are you traveling with?Do you travel with groups, adults, kids or solo? The more people you travel with the more opportunities present themselves to use the items in your kit. With group travel, consider adding additional reserves of commonly used items such as adhesive bandages and pain relievers. For expeditions with adults at risk for heart conditions, ensure that aspirin is in the kit. Additionally, you may consider adding a dental kit with temporary filling for adults with a history of tooth issues. If kids are on the trip, small items like bandages with cartoon characters or a small toy can go a long way to decrease their stress.

How long will you be out?Ensure that you have an inventory that matches the length of your trip . For longer trips, increase the number of common use items such as bandages, athletic tape, non-latex gloves and over-the-counter medications. The number of these items can be decreased on short day trips. On day trips to remote environments, consider bringing an emergency blanket in the case that injury lengthens your trip resulting in an unexpected overnight.

What type of activity are you doing?The items carried in a first aid kit should match the potential illnesses or injuries that are associated with the activity. Hikers commonly experience blisters and musculoskeletal injuries, making it beneficial to have kit including bandages, mole foam, an elastic wrap and pain relievers. A nail clipper in a first aid kit can also can reduce many potential foot issues when on trail runs, day hikes, or backpacking trips. Boaters can add a small container of high strength sunscreen and sunglasses to reduce the potential of sunburn from the reflection of the sun on the water if they run out of (or forget) sunscreen or loose their sunglasses.

What is your level of training?It does not make sense to carry items in your first aid kit that you do not know how to use. If there is something in your kit you do not understand, take time to research what the item is used for and how to use it appropriately. In addition to your current understanding of medicine, consider adding knowledge to what you carry with your first aid kit.

Longleaf Wilderness Medicine courses address how to create first aid kits that will allow for response to minor and major emergencies. Check out a LWM course to develop your assessment and treatment skills for when the unexpected happens.